Promoting India in China
April 7th, 2008 - by Nazia VasiIndia and China’s growth in trade is having a ripple effect in the areas of consumer goods, art and tourism. Over the last few months, several large shopping malls, trade shows and exhibition centers in Beijing and Shanghai have been displaying the richness and diversity of India.
In 2007, over half a million visitors were exchanged between India and China. These included over 4,62,450 visitors from India to China, a year-on-year rise of 48 percent and about 68,000 Chinese visitors came to India, a 14 percent increase compared to the year before. In 2005, India received 46, 805 tourists from China while 6,29,947 Indian tourists traveled to China during the same year.Rich cultural heritage, varied festivals, traditional values and great works of art and music naturally attract our people to each other. During the inauguration of the “India-China Year of Friendship through tourism” the External Affairs Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee said “with the rise in living standards, both India and China have become impressive sources for outbound tourist traffic. He said it should be the endeavour of both our governments to encourage our citizens to visit each other’s country. Increased tourist traffic between the two countries will help up rediscover our shared cultural heritage and bring to the fore the instinctive warmth and friendship the people of India and China feel for each other.”
More recently, promoting India’s soft trade is a photography exhibition entitled: “My Discovery of India” by Rita Zhao, a Chinese photographer who visited India during the ‘Friendship through Tourism year’, which ended in January this year. This week, will also host a cultural event of classical song and dance in Beijing and Shanghai through the Indian governments “Incredible India” marketing banner. A week long food festival, for which 10 Indian chefs have been especially flown in, will add further spice in developing India-China soft trade.
Buddhism, Yoga and Bollywood also continue to be huge crowd pullers in China. India Tourism has already taken initiatives to showcase India’s Buddhist attractions in China by launching advertising campaign termed ‘Walk with Buddha’.
While tourism and art seek to introduce the Chinese to India’s more colorful side, trade in consumer and beauty products rake in the big bucks.
The lure of the Chinese US$34 billion beauty and hair care industry, growing at 15 percent per annum has enticed several Indian beauty product companies to export to China recently. While Shahnaz Herbals was one of the pioneering Indian cosmetics brands to enter the booming Chinese hair & beauty industry, some Indian brands have recently followed suit. Indian beauty companies have two advantages in the Chinese market – one – Chinese consumers like Indian consumers, being of a similar skin and hair tone demand the same hair and beauty products – skin whiteners, sun-blocking moisturizers, anti-ageing creams and shampoos for silky, straight hair. Next, Chinese consumers like their Indian counterparts prefer herbal products over chemical ingredients, found in western beauty products thereby creating a natural demand for aryuvedic Indian products.
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April 8th, 2008 at 5:57 am
” and friendship the people of India and China feel for each other.” Maybe I have been talking to the wrong crowds, but I am not feeling the love, warmth and friendship between the two countries. There are several challenges ahead that I see will keep the relationship getting better:
(1) China continues to support India’s arch rival, Pakistan.
(2) India’s defeat at the hands of China in 1962.
(3) India increasingly is being enlisted by the US to counter China.
(4) India is housing the Tibetan government-in-exile.
(5) Many, if not most, Chinese that I have talked to seem to be indifferent about India.
(6) Many, if not most, Indians that I have talked to seem to be hostile toward China.
Speaking of Buddhism, I think India no longer comes to their mind because (1) Buddhism has completed been “sinicized”, it is as Chinese as Confucianism and (2) India is no longer a prominent Buddhist country. Yoga is hot among the twenty-something women in China. Bollywood does not have a big following, Hollywood does.
April 8th, 2008 at 9:45 am
hi Pffefer,
I agree with you - that Indian’s & Chinese do not know each others countries well enough to feel the love, warmth and friendship for eachother. However, that is the reason why both governments are trying hard to create some sort of awareness of their existance, by marketing themselves in large public places like malls and trade shows - and to some extent have succeeded.
The governments have taken steps by promoting culture, increasing trade and political visits. Things are slowly changing….its probably hard for us to see now, but I like to be optimistic and think the steps being taken now, will have greater ramifications in the future.
As for Buddhism and Yoga they have been sinizised, but won’t stop the Indian government from using it as a marketing tool.
April 8th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
The Governments have long said they want to normalise relations after 40 years of chill. Last nights gala dinner at the Beijing Hotel and the co-opening of tourism offices in each others capital cities is a step in that direction. It may take some time, but it is happening.